Slaid Cleaves

A native of Portland, Maine, Cleaves moved to Austin, Tex., after releasing a number of Folk-Rock albums on his own. In Austin -- despite some stiff competition in the Singer-Songwriter field -- he came to the attention of former Lucinda Williams sideman and producer, Gurf Morlix, who helped him record an album for Rounder Records. Cleaves' pithy songs and reedy tenor, combined with Morlix' sensitive production to considerably expanded Slaid's audience. By the time he finished his second record Brokedown (2000), Cleaves was on his way to becoming a rising star on the Americana scene.